THE largest single donation to The Hunts Post New Life Appeal was made yesterday (Tuesday) when a Godmanchester company gave £6,000 to the cause. The generous donation moves the appeal fund to about £8,500 – more than 10 per cent of the £70,000 target whi

THE largest single donation to The Hunts Post New Life Appeal was made yesterday (Tuesday) when a Godmanchester company gave £6,000 to the cause.

The generous donation moves the appeal fund to about £8,500 - more than 10 per cent of the £70,000 target which will help pay for improved facilities for the district's new mothers and their babies.

The biggest donation to date was provided by Godmanchester insurance company Sureterm Direct.

Its £6,000 donation will be put into the fund to help provide new facilities at the special care baby (SCBU) and maternity at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Huntingdon.

Mark Jackson, Sureterm's customer services and administration manager, and Janice Purbrick, finance director, handed a cheque to Andy Veale, the editor of The Hunts Post.

Mr Veale, who chose maternity services at Hinchingbrooke as this year's Hunts Post charity, said: "This is a huge amount of money for the appeal and will help make a difference to all of the new parents who have to spend time in maternity or with their sick babies in the special care baby unit.

"The two departments have provided dedicated care to the thousands of Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire babies who were born at Hinchingbrooke.

"It's great to be able to give something back and to see companies such as Sureterm Direct supporting Hinchingbrooke Hospital in such a generous manner. They have our thanks."

Sureterm pledged the money to the hospital after staff answered an earlier appeal in The Hunts Post.

In January, the insurance company bought a piece of life-saving equipment for baby Bradley Spanton from Sawtry. Bradley, now 10 months, was born with a heart defect and requires constant monitoring.

Sureterm bought Bradley the home blood testing machine his parents, Stephanie and Charlie, needed.

Miss Purbrick said: "We were all very touched by Bradley's plight and when they learned that there was money left over, staff unanimously agreed it would be fantastic to help other children, too, by supporting the New Life Appeal."

The New Life Appeal will continue until we reach the £70,000 target. The money will be divided equally between maternity and SCBU. Maternity needs £35,000 to provide a new en suite room for expectant parents.

And SCBU is planning to improve its facilities for parents as well as provide new equipment to care for the sick babies in the unit.

One of the most lavish fundraisers is being planned by David Watkins, 86, from Little Paxton who has invited the Caldicot Welsh male voice choir to sing at Hinchingbrooke Performing Arts Centre on November 15.

INFORMATION: To get involved with the New Life Appeal contact The Hunts Post on 01480 411481 or e-mail editor@huntspost.co.uk - to find out more about Sureterm Direct visit www.sureterm.com